FORT WORTH, Texas\u00a0(July 25, 2025) <\/i>\u2014 After successfully completing the Texas Christian University Certified Public Communicator\u00ae Program, 25 public-sector communicators from around the country received their designation as certified public communicators.<\/p>\n
Professionals working for school districts, cities, counties, and other public-sector institutions gather at TCU to learn how to be ethical leaders and reach their communities.<\/p>\n
In order to graduate, a CPC student must complete a strategic communication plan developed for his or her organization, plus 95 hours of graduate-level instruction over the course of two summers and one midwinter session.<\/p>\n
Cohort 12 of CPC included 17 members of city communication departments from across the country, two members of county communication departments, and six members from other organizations such as Anna ISD (Texas), the North Texas Municipal Water District, Greater San Marcos Partnership, and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD (Texas).<\/p>\n
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Twenty-five graduates from cohort 12, plus three candidates for graduation later this year.<\/p><\/div>\n
The represented cities from Texas include Boerne, Fort Worth, Pecos City, Temple, Trophy Club, and Socorro. Outside of Texas, communicators are serving Richmond, Virginia, and Larimer County, Colorado, among other communities.<\/p>\n
In a world reliant on accessible fast-paced communication, public-sector communicators must stay up-to-date with the tools and resources that help them provide accurate and timely information for the welfare of their communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the era of artificial intelligence and misinformation, it is crucial to have access to accurate, ethical, and educational information about government services,\u201d said Dr. Ashley English, a long-time faculty member in the program and an associate professor in TCU\u2019s Department of Strategic Communication. English and Dr. Sarah Maben are joining Dr. Jacqueline Lambiase as co-directors of the program this next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program addresses complex topics including listening, social media policy, leadership, and data analysis. Each cohort tests their crisis and communication skills with a crisis tabletop exercise meant to help students experience a crisis as it unfolds. In groups, students work together to create strategies and tactics to effectively communicate with public safety officials and their communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur CPC students keep communities informed,\u201d English said, \u201cand build trust with residents, to promote engagement in ways that strengthen our democracy. They develop these skills through our curriculum. It is a privilege to co-manage a program that produces such meaningful community impact and aligns with TCU’s mission to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Communicators are part of the reason cities and schools have persisted in times of change, uncertainty, and heart-breaking circumstances, Lambiase said at Cohort 12\u2019s graduation ceremony July 24, 2025.<\/p>\n
The CPC Program partners with TCU\u2019s Department of Strategic Communication<\/a> in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication<\/a> and TCU Extended Education<\/a>, along with four professional organizations: the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers<\/a>, the National Association of County Information Officers<\/a>, the Texas School Public Relations Association<\/a> and the City-County Communication and Marketing Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n The CPC board and faculty members congratulate the graduating students as they join more than 300 CPC graduates. Applications for the next cohort in summer 2026 are now open<\/a> and will be accepted through Dec. 31, 2025. For more information, visit the CPC webpage<\/a> or email cpc@tcu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\nSummer 2025 graduates<\/h3>\n
| Kate Aitchison<\/td>\n | City of Richfield, Minnesota<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Michelle Anna-Christina Bird<\/td>\n | Larimer County, Colorado<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Amanda C. Brim<\/td>\n | Caelen Communications, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Brandon Scott Buckner<\/td>\n | Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Casey Castro<\/td>\n | North Texas Municipal Water<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Robert Catanese<\/td>\n | Chatham County, Georgia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Edward De Leon<\/td>\n | Town of Pecos City, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Kaitlyn Priestley Dill<\/td>\n | Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Natalie Autumn Foster<\/td>\n | City of Fort Worth, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Trisha Lynn Hall<\/td>\n | City of Maryland Heights, Missouri<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Tamara E. Jenkins<\/td>\n | City of Richmond, Virginia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Mariah Star Liendro<\/td>\n | City of Fulshear, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Maribel Armendariz Lopez<\/td>\n | City of Watauga, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Nohely Yael Mackowiak<\/td>\n | City of Temple, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Kelly Maribel Martinez<\/td>\n | Town of Trophy Club, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Kara McKinney<\/td>\n | City of Hurst, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Christine Marie Pollok<\/td>\n | Greater San Marcos Partnership, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Victor Manuel Reta Jr.<\/td>\n | City of Socorro, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Abbie Roth<\/td>\n | City of Wentzville, Missouri<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Tonya Schumacher<\/td>\n | City of Hudson Oaks, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Christopher Andrew Shadrock<\/td>\n | City of Boerne, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Pamela L. Solomon<\/td>\n | City of Weston, Florida<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Jennifer Renae Thompson<\/td>\n | City of Rochelle, Illinois<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Karen Walker<\/td>\n | Anna ISD, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Whitney Ann Wass<\/td>\n | City of Hudson Oaks, Texas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n For more information, visit https:\/\/schieffercollege.tcu.edu\/stratcomm\/resources\/cpc-program\/<\/a> or email Jacqueline Lambiase at j.lambiase@tcu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n |